Malku-Dagan
Prince Malku-Dagan (b. 1382 BC) was a member of the Imperial Family of the Chedorlaomerian World Empire. He was the son of Emperor Inshushinak-Re'u X and Saklalu, Princess of the Kingdom of Qabra and daughter of King Lamlik-'el I of Qabra. He was named Viceroy of Elam at the age of two in 1380 BC by his father. He was also self proclaimed King of Media in the territories of the Kilambati province from 1343. Following his father's death at the Battle of Kilambati in 1363 BC, he was tasked by his uncle Emperor Lurak-lukhkhan IV to defend Bit-Umargi and Armangu, the last Imperial foothold in Media. The Emperor assumed Malku-Dagan would be killed and thus he would dispose of a possible rival to the succession of his own son. However, Malku-Dagan defended both cities courageously. The Emperor then tasked Malku-Dagan to continue with Inshushinak-Re'u's planned expedition to reatke Kilambati. Malku-Dagan managed to conquer the city with few losses and recover his father's body, having it reburried at his father's old capital at Huhunuri. He continued as the sole commander of the Imperial Advance into Media, taking the cities of Bit-zualzaš, Harhubarban and Andirpattianu in 1361 and the city of Qarkinšera in 1360. In 1359 he defeated the King of Šibar at Bit-Kapsi, whereafter he took not only Bit-Kapsi but Nikisi and Sadbat as well. In 1358 he accepted the surrender and the oath of loalty of the King of Ginizinanu, forcing the King of Upparia to do the same later that year. In 1357 he again defeated th Šibar alliance at Kazuqinzani, which surrendered to him after the battle. In 1356 he besieged the city of Šaparda and forced an oath of loalty from it's King. In 1355 he allied himself with the Kingdom of Araziaš, which resulted in the taking of the cities of Mišita and Sikraia in 1355 and the final defeat of the Šibar Alliance and the conquest of Šibar, Zakrutu, Ariamni and Bit-matti. In 1354 he formally offered the King of Araziaš, from his position as the Viceroy, the cities of Mišita and Sikraia, on the condition of accepting membership within the Empire. The King accepted and after some persuasion Emperor Idaddu-napir VII formally agreed to these terms. However, the title of "Subduer of Araziaš, Conqueror of Šibar" which had been promised by the Emperor to Malku-Dagan upon Araziaš's ascension to Imperial Membership was instead conferred on the Emperor himself. In 1353 he took the cities of Arnasia and Kaitanu. He then marched to the lowlands of Urmia and prepared to attack the Kingdom of Ḫarruna, however he was recalled to Susa, because he had gone beyond the designated area of "Greater Media". Similarily when he came in contact with the King of Gizilbunda in 1352, he was summoned to Susa. The Emperor, fearful of losing his crown to Malku-Dagan, did not want him to have a military campaign that would outweigh his. So instead he ordered him to go to Amati to negotiate with it's King the return of some cities he demanded. Malku-Dagan did so, but on the way he conquered the cities of Ambanda and Dananu. The Emperor was very angry at this and sent his own officers to take charge of Ambanda and Dananu instead of those appointed by Malku-Dagan. In 1350 Emperor Idaddu-napir marched to Media himself, and attacked the city of Amati where Malku-Dagan was just conducting negotiations. He had hoped to kill Malku-Dagan during the invasion, however his force was beaten back and the Emperor himself severly wounded. Malku-Dagan was left unharmed due to his authority among the Medes, as well as his understanding of their mentality and culture after having spent most of thirteen years in Media. He heard the Emperor had been wounded and so he made his way to Susa, going through Kilambati to nake it was still secured and loyal to him above all else. The Emperor was taken back to Susa after the battle at Amati. He died shortly before the return of Malku-Dagan. Idaddu-napir's brother Chedorlaomer was chosen as Emperor Chedorlaomer XXII, however the Priests waited several days to make their proclamation, fearful that Malku-Dagan would proclaim himself Emperor in the meantime. In 1350 he was charged by the new Emperor to transform his Median holdings into a single province centered on Kilambati. He did so in 1349 BC, but refused to be named Ippir of the Province to not lose his position as Viceroy, nominating instead his older half brother Prince Chedorlaomer Kudurru. In 1346 Malku-Dagan was forced to return many cities from the Kilambati province to the Kingdom of Amat, which he did so, though reluctantly. In 1345 he toppled the foreign Atamrum Dynasty at Haŋgmatāna and installed one of his most loyal Median officers Karakku as King of Haŋgmatāna. In 1344 the Emperor named a certain Median servant of his household named Parurasu as the King of Kilambati. He ordered Malku-Dagan to dispose of the reigning King in Kilambati and install Parurasu. This lead to a conflict between Malku-Dagan and Chedorlaomer Kudurru, the latter of whom ordered Malku-Dagan to follow the orders of his Emperor. So Malku-Dagan dethroned King Arbaku of Kilambati, settling him in the city of Harhubarban. Then in 1343 from his office of Viceroy he named Arbaku King of Harhubarban, as the throne of the city was vacant. The Emperor refused and sent a force to Harhubarban to arrest the "usurper Arbaku", however the Emperor's force clashed with Malku-Dagan's "Median Army" that had been serving under Malku-Dagan in Media since 1363 and had many Median members. The Emperor's force was defeated and it's commanders were brought to Malku-Dagan at Kilambati. After this event Malku-Dagan proclaimed himself "King of Media" and launched an offensive against Chedorlaomer XXII's force. In 1342 his army stormed Sadbat, the last fortified city in Media still loyal to Chedorlaomer XXII. The Emperor marched towards Media, however he was engaged by Karakku, the King of Haŋgmatāna installed by Malku-Dagan. The Emperor managed to take the cities of Ginizinanu, Bit-Kapsi and Nikisi in 1342 and turned them into the Province of Bit-Kapsi and named his son and heir Prince Lumma as it's Ippir. In 1341 Malku-Dagan's force defeated the Emperor's force at Qarkinšera. The Emperor retreated to Susa, where he prepared for Malku-Dagan's attempt to seize the Imperial Crown. Chedorlaomer XXII was found assassinated in his bed chamber in Susa in 1341. Shortly after his death Malku-Dagan at the head of his Median army entered Susa. Malku-Dagan initially wished to name Himself Emperor, however he had spent twenty one years in Media and has been, as the contemporary chronicles said "Medianised, so much so he could not dare sit on the Imperial Throne of Eparti and Chedorlaomer". He opted instead to place his own half brother, Prince Chedorlaomer Kudurru on the throne as Chedorlaomer XXIII. After his half brother's ascension he attempted to force him to dethrone and imprison Chedorlaomer XXII son, Lumma, City King of Dardukka in Mannaea. Chedorlaomer XXIII refused this and even ceremonially adopted Lumma as his son in 1340 BC. In 1340 he was tasked by Chedorlaomer XXIII to attack Gizilbunda as it engaged in trade with the rival Median Kingdom of Amata. The Emperor eventually sent his son Eparti to represent him as Commander of an Imperial force that was instrumental in conquering the Gizilbundan city of Sassiaššu. In 1339 the Emperor then tasked Malku-Dagan to quel a rebellion of several formally subservient Median City rulers in Diristanu, Mali and Nartu. In 1338 he fortified Sassiaššu and marched towards the Gizilbundan city of Karsibuta. The Emperor died at Susa shortly before the Battle of Karsibuta. And so Malku-Dagan conquered the city with Eparti, who unbeknowst to both was reigning Emperor Eparti IX. In 1337 Eparti IX marched on the Gizilbundan city of Kinaki. He refused to let Malku-Dagan take part in the march, however Malku-Dagan still took part in it, joining the Emperor's force and saving him from a trap by the Gizilbundans. Thereafter the Emperor conducted a siege of the city of Kinaki, which lasted until a message of surrender came from the Gizilbundan capital of Uraš. The Emperor had Malku-Dagan negotiate with the King of Gizilbunda, finalising the terms under which it was to become an Imperial member nation. A year later, the Emperor returned the cities of Kinaki, Karsibuta and Sassiaššu. Malku-Dagan opposed the handover of Sassiaššu, as it had been made into a fortress to secure an Imperial foothold in Gizilbunda, hwoever the Emperor refused to hear him out, threatening to take away his position as Governor of Kilambati. In 1334 Eparti IX tasked Malku-Dagan together with his brother own Haimbia to negotiate with the Kingdom of Ḫarruna. Following the negotiation Ḫarruna joined as an Imperial Member nation in 1333, however the stella the Emperor had erected to mark this occasion only depicted Eparti and Haimbia, as being "conquerors" of Ḫarruna. This resulted in a regiment of Malku-Dagan's "Median Army" attacking the Ḫarrunan capital of Masašura in 1332. The Emperor sent a force to Kilambati to disband this army, which they eventually succeeded in doing after three weeks of fighting. Malku-Dagan was formally relieved of his duties as Governor of Kilambati, though he was not charged with treason for fighting against Imperial soldiers as the Emperor feared Malku-Dagan had too many sympathisers. So he had Malku-Dagan relocate to Anšan to take up his formal duties as Viceroy.Here, Malku-Dagan was in virtual house arrest, and all his decisions were merely ceremonial, as all decision making lay in the hands of the Emperor's brother Haimbia. During this time Malku-Dagan formally served as mediator for a dispute between Kakmum and Qabra, and between Qabra and Gilzanu, with which he formally began negotiations for joining the Empire. In 1331 the Emperor formally removed Malku-Dagan from the position of Viceroy due to "old age" and replaced him with Haimbia. After Haimbia's coup, Malku-Dagan assembled his most loyal officers from his disbanded "Median Army", along with a force of men from the Epartid Ensi of Anšan, Humban-Hapua VIII. They managed to enter Susa and to sneak into the palace. After defeating many of the Horned Warriors, Malku-Dagan personally took Haimbia prisoner. Then he assembled an impromptu religious court which proclaimed Haimbia stripped of his divinity and then tasked Malku-Dagan with chosing the next Emperor. Once again Malku-Dagan declined the throne for himself, having Eparti IX's son Kidinu lead from prison and proclaimed as Emperor Kidinu VII. In 1330 after his ascension Kidinu restored Malku-Dagan to the position of Viceroy. Then he named him as Governor of Kilambati and "All of Media". In 1329 he and Malku-Dagan negotiated with the King of Haŋgmatāna, Karakku who had been placed on the throne by Malku-Dagan. They agreed on a joint campaign against Amat, however in 1328 an emissary of the Emperors secretly met with Amatian King Huvardata I. Attempting to restore the ancient bonds between the Elamites and the House of Datafarnah, a surprise attack on Haŋgmatāna was conducted by Imperial forces in 1328. Malku-Dagan protested but he was put in house arrest on orders of Emperor Kidinu. In 1322 following the death of Nap-Ganza Buzua III, last of the Emarite Epartids, the throne of the Kingdom of Emar became vacant. Malku-Dagan broke out of House Arrest and assembled the remnants of his followers, he went to Emar and became a participant in the War of Emarite succession and as a result he was formally dismissed from the position of Viceroy. In 1320 following the death of Haimbia, he met with Lumma. He had no children and so he formally adopted him as his heir and joined forces with his. He secured rulership of Emar in 1319 and received recognition from Kidinu VII. In 1318 he survived an assassination attempt organised by Kidinu VII. After his death in 1317 Lumma succeeded as King of Emar.